Monster Physics - Dan Russell-Pinson

Monster Physics allows children to explore physical properties and principles in an amazingly engaging way. The really clever thing about this app is that it manages to combine creativity and set challenges. You solve the puzzles using different materials and constructions to get your personalised monster to its food. Although Monster Physics provides clues you can experiment with the

different materials and provide your own solution as long as it works. The app introduces magnetism (and even electro-magnetism), friction, density, velocity and many other principals, all through application. There is also a mode where children can make their own inventions using a wide range of materials and joints and manipulate it to see it working. Clearly no replacement for feeling the forces at nature and seeing them with your own eyes, monster physics allows children to experiment with such a vast array of materials and scenarios that it feels like an endless modelling toy box. It mixes problem-solving and creativity in a really effective way. A new favourite. 

Garage Band - Apple

OK, so Garage Band is designed for somewhat bigger fingers but watching a three year old master this music software and create their own song including an orchestra and their own vocals is really quite awe-inspiring. The intuitive nature of the iPad makes what is technically quite a difficult process, very straight-forward. We have begun to use Garage Band to replicate our compositions with real percussion instruments by dragging drum instruments onto a grid representing the frequency and tempo of the beats. This really is only quite a short step from Toca Band (reviewed below). Essentially an eight track recording studio, there are probably still more facets of this app that we haven't explored compared to those that we have and the possibilities for musical creativity using it feel endless. The masterpieces you create can be easily stored, shared, emailed straight from the app or sent to iMovie as a soundtrack.

Toca Band by Toca Boca

Swedish developers Toca Boca have produced a really interesting stable of apps that could be described as play 'worlds'. All of their releases so far allow children to explore the environment and gain a sense of achievement whilst remaining open-ended and not relying on 'points scored' to be engaging. As with their other apps, Toca Band introduces a quirky and intriguing range of characters. In this case, there are sixteen personalities ranging from a croaking frog to a soprano opera singer. To play, children choose from the characters to build sounds together making a song. The position on the screen effects the tempo of each 'instrument' The variety of sounds and positions gives the impression of composing your own song although Toca Boca have engineered it so that any combination works in reality. The addition of the ability to choose a soloist (who's instrument you can 'play') adds an additional dimension. The biggest downfall of this app is that ultimately, there is only one short song which can become grating (I have never used this with more than one child at a time) and limits the musical creativity it offers. We have got around this issue by using the skills practised in the app as a gateway to using Garage Band.

Little Digits by Cowly Owl

It's fitting that my inaugural post should be the app that finally got me motivated to blog. I have seen so many 'bells and whistles' apps lately that the simplicity of Little Digits really struck a chord with me. This is a clever little app based on finger counting. At its most simple, it literally helps children associate the number on the screen with the number of fingers they have placed on. The symbols within the game are bold and animated - each number is a character. The part that really got me was that they are able to record their own voice saying each of the numbers which are then used in the games. This personalisation seems to have real resonance with children and can also allow them to record in their home language or have different friends record numbers which for more visual/aural learners is wonderful. 

In addition to the initial counting activity there are addition and subtraction modes where children can finger count to calculate simple equations. Used either alone or collaboratively in pairs, this is a really engaging way for children to master the counting on and counting back methods initially before mastering the equations and placing their answer straight onto the screen. Incorrect answers are not animated in an elaborate way (an issue I have discovered with many apps making them motivating to use unthinkingly) and it is easy for children to adjust their answers making their miscalculations clear to trace back. The only small design fault that I can see is that if the iPad is in a case with a thicker frame, children could be touching edge of the case rather than the screen which would obviously give an incorrect answer. Also, children who can't yet isolate individual fingers would find this a challenge - but what a way to learn.

It feels like the iPad was made for Little Digits because it utilises the technology so effectively and the one bell/whistle of voice recording adds a brilliant dimension (I would consider using this for teaching numerals in a new language, for example) without the usual over-complication. Blog-inspiringly great!